St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-08-28
Affidavits Sworn to by Two
Women Who Were Serv-
ing Out Life Sentences.
A Thorough Investigation by
the State Board Of Cor
rections and Charities.
A Statement on the Case
From Warden StordOck--
What Gov. MeGill Says.

circles when the proceedings of an in
vestigation, which Warden Stordock
says Gov. McGill has ordered into the
inside working of the state penitentiary
at Saltwater during part of Warden
Reeds administration. are made public.
1t is now something over three months
since the GLOBE gave such evidence
as it had at the time of practices
so revolving that all good people shud-
dered and holding up their hands re-
fused to believe it. These practices,
were those of an official who has borne
an unblemished name in social circles,
| and who was prominent as refOrmer
and philanthropist. So the majority of
the public voted for acquittal of the
official. But it appears that some minds
remembered the evidence the GLOBE
had given and did not fall in with the
public vote, e,even if they did not vote the
other way.
| IA rumor was current in certain cir
cles some days ago that Hon. H. e..
StOrdOck, warden of the state penitenti-
ary, had demanded of Gov. McGill an
| investigation into the methods of adj
ministratiOn of his predecessor, Capt. j..
A. Reed. The story was that both busi-
ness and moral questions were included
i'm the request of Mr.. Stordock. The
reasons for this demand were said to be
a feeling on the part of
THE PRESENT WARDEN
that his own administration could not
be successful until there was clearing
up of whatever matters of question
able nature might have been part of
Mr.. Reeds. According to the current
reports, Gov. McGill held off from the
request of the warden until Mr.. StOr-
dock threatened to pass in his resigna-
ton it an investigation was not Or
dered. That there was nearly an ex-
plosion between the governor and the
warden was the way the story went.
Warden StOrdOck was interviewed at
considerable length by a GLOBE re-
porter several days ago, and, while he
said that the story of his demand ON
Gov. McGill was not so, he put in a
quantity of evidence cOrrObOratiVe of
what the GLOBE had given the public
three months ago, far more damaging,
and almost past belief.
II have not asked for an investigation
myself" said Mr.. Stordock, Though |
do not hesitate to say, and to say for
publication, that would not continue
in this Office during political campaign
unless there should first be thorough
investigation of the. former
methods of conducting the
prison affairs. Some charges
must be looked into and cleared up no
matter what men, or what branch of the
political party who is responsible for
them, and on whom they reflect, is
struck. 1t would be better to top off
from the party tree any branches that
will not bear I'LL investigation"
Mr.. StOrdOck then told the GLOBE
man that at a meeting of the prison in
spectors, held June "a, they had decided
To ASK GOV. M'GILL
for an investigation to be made by the
state board of corrections and charities,
and he showed the GLOBE man the rec
Ords containing resolution to that eff
feet. 1t seems that there was some delay,
but an investigation was finally decided
on. On Aug. 20, one week ago yeStel-
day, Warden Stordock says he was
officially notified by Gov. McGill,
that an investigation would be had, that
1t would be conducted by the state boarp
be as comprehensive in its nature as had
been asked for.
'When is this to Gomez" asked the re-
porter of Mr.. Stordock.
The date is not yet made public"
said the warden. sit will not come i'm
August, but l think if you were to ask
Gov. McGill early in September YOU
could learn the date.''
Warden StOrdOck allowed the GLOBE
reporter to see and take copies of affida-
Wits made by two female inmates of the
prison, in which statements are made
which cannot be reproduced in the
columns of any reputable newspaper.
They are very tiat-fOOted stories that
directly charge the ex-warden with
practices which it will be hard to make
be used at the investigation by the state
board of corrections and charities.
One of these affidavits, copy of |
which is now in the GLOBES possession,
is by AZilda Beaudry, who is now serv |
ing life sentence for the murder of |
her husband. Her affidavit was taken |
before Frank Berry, notary public of |
good standing of Washington county. 1t |
is dated May 2S, 1887. In it most serious |
charges are made against War |
en- Reed. She swears that |
Warden Reed promised to help her |
to get pardon, and ON Jan. 81 told her |
he was soon to go out of office. She |
said to him at that time that he would |
not be able to help her any more, and he |
replied that he was to have position in
the new reformatory, where he could be
of more use to her in securing a pardon
than he could at the Saltwater peniten-
tiary. The woman further swears that
the statement she is making is wholly
her own free act, and that no one Solic-
tied her to make it. The GLOBE has
also copy of an affidavit by Mary Weis-
hair, made before
THE SAME NOTARY,
on May %, 1887. 1t contains more Sc
riouS charges than that of the other
She, too, says that Warden
Reed promised to help her to secure
pardon, and that she would not have to
stay there more than year or two.
Her sentence, which had been for life
for the murder of her husband. was
to ten years by Gov. Hub
bard. She swears that she makes the
affidavit unsolicited by anyone.
shortly after | went into Office"
said Mr.. Stordock, II began to hear
rumOrS from the guards and others, the
substance of which is contained in the
iffidavits. After tine Mrs. Beaudry
sent for me and said she wanted pri-
vate interview. She had something on
her mind of which she wished to speak
20 me. AS soon as l found out what she
was talking about | told her to be care
ful what she was saying, and not make
any statements that she was not willing
a q ecfI l